During gas turbine engine operation cycles, the thermally induced strain, i.e.: expansion and contraction of the combustor duct walls relative to the surrounding engine casing, is conventionally accommodated by fixing the upstream end of the combustor, either with the fuel nozzle support tubes or other combustor supports, and permitting the downstream end to expand and contract relatively freely in an axially sliding joint. The axial component of the thermally induced strain is generally accommodated by an sliding axial joint at the downstream outlet end of the combustor, whereas the radial component of thermally induced strain may be accommodated by means effectively securing the combustor such that the combustor is restrained axially at the upstream end while radial movement is accommodated by various combustor mounting devices.
Due to the harsh temperature environment and the need for simple, robust, maintenance free, and low cost mechanical devices to mount the combustor, conventional combustor mounting assemblies include simple devices such as a cylindrical locating pin slidably engaged in a combustor boss within a cylindrical recess for example which prevents lateral translation transverse to the pin while permitting relative sliding movement between the cylindrical pin and the cylindrical recess within the combustor boss.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple robust low cost combustor mount assembly that can accommodate the harsh temperature levels of the combustor and accommodate thermally induced expansion and contraction.
Further objects of the invention will be apparent from review of the disclosure, drawings and description of the invention below.